when you have a baby, things take a little more time

*getting out of the house.  enough said.

*road trips may take hours longer due to stops for diapers, milkies and a little play time.

*blogs may be few and far between and take 3 days to complete.

*dirty dishes may sit in the sink over night because you're running late for bath/bedtime and then you don't want to make loud clanking noises once the baby's asleep.

*showers may be days apart...don't judge...why do you think we mamas get in the tub with our kiddos.  a 10 minute soak is better than nothing.  ;)

*though the recipe states the total time to be 45 minutes, meals may take hours to prepare because it must be done in pieces...cut onions, play with baby, defrost meat, play with baby, cut veggies, play with baby, set up rice to cook, play with baby, you get the point.

*laundry may sit either folded or unfolded on the couch just a touch longer than desired (and end up all over the floor due to a "helpful" baby).

*christmas trees may take over a week to finish decorating (alright...partially due to hubby's crazy work schedule).  we put it up on december 7th.  today is the 15th.  we were hopeful to finish it tonight...this hope dies a little more with each minute that ticks by.

yet, despite the fact that all of these things and so many more are stretched out over way more time than they used to be, the days, weeks and months fly right by.  why, oh why can't they be a little bit longer?  i wish i could hit pause at least once a day to really take in everything that is going on our lives and in the world that surrounds us.  we are a week away from nolan being 10 months old and one year is just around the corner...it boggles my mind.  where does the time go?

betty white

way back in october, betty white came to the santa monica barnes & noble for a book signing.  i was pretty much obligated to attend.  as a little girl, my dad taped the "golden girls".  we had multiple vhs tapes full of the show.  golden girls 1, golden girls 2, golden girls 3, etc. we watched them so frequently and for so many years that the ol' tapes gave out.  the music in between scenes sounded all distorted and funny and there were serious tracking issues (oh vhs...).  this all started before i was five, so you can see, me and betty go way back.  my dear sweet big brother even called me "rose nylund" now and again on account of my poor story telling skills (so, you see it is really somewhat unfortunate that i have decided to start a blog).

apparently there are many people with similar stories.  betty was in such high demand that it was a "wrist band event".  meaning, i had to go to the bookstore the morning of the event, buy the book, show them my receipt and receive a wrist band.  then, that evening, i had to return an hour before the book signing to line-up.  there were people waiting outside the store before it opened to be first in line to receive wrist bands.  i wasn't that nuts.  i have a baby for heaven sake.  but, i still managed to make it in the "a" group...going in just behind the members. 

the lining up started at 6:00 pm (perfect timing for a book signing...wait...no...that is nolan's get ready for bed time...).  when i arrived (at 6:00), there were probably already 150 people there.  luckily, i was an "a" and shot straight to the front(ish) of the line.  my dear sweet hubby dropped me off then went to pick us up some burritos before returning to wait in line with me.  :) so sweet. 

after 2 1/2 hours minutes of waiting, i got to meet the infamous betty white.  she is just as gooey sweet as you may imagine.  taking the time to graciously thank each and every person for coming out.  nicely going along as we all said dumb "golden girls" quotes and giggled nervously (alright...maybe not all of us, but i did).  she even stopped the signing line to hold some lady's dog and take pictures, at which point i thought, "hmmm...maybe she will think nolan is so cute that she'll take a picture holding him too!"...no, she didn't.  she did however comment on his cuteness.  i'll take it. 

betty was great.  nolan was even better.  we didn't get home until 9:00, but he was a peach the whole time.  and to think...i almost didn't go because i was worried about the timing.  

 i brought her a piece of cheesecake in honor of "the girls"

 i'm not proposing...i just wanted nolan to be able to see her.  :)